


About-Face

by Arya_Greenleaf



Series: Twitter Fic [7]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anger, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 15:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16043372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arya_Greenleaf/pseuds/Arya_Greenleaf
Summary: Hux gets a devastating call: his father will live.





	About-Face

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on twitter, inspired by a Richard Siken bot post:  
>  _And he wouldn't kiss me, but he covered my body with his body and held me down until I promised not to run back out into the street again._
> 
> I don't claim to be a doctor, please suspend disbelief on technicalities.

"Mr. Hux," came the business-like voice through the phone. "We've called you several times with regards to your father's care and you've declined to return the call. As his legal next of kin, I must insist on speaking with you. I'd prefer an in-person consult, but if this is how you'd prefer to handle things then I'll certainly speak over the phone."

Hux curled his hands into fists, cell phone clenched between his ear and his shoulder as he emptied the mailbox at the edge of the property. He answered in the affirmative as diplomatically as he could.

In truth, he didn't care. He wasn't simply busy, he was avoiding the calls. He'd washed his hands of Brendol. Why couldn't they get that? Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He thought he'd made it clear when he'd been pulled away from work and into the emergency room the night Brendol had been admitted that he wanted no part in any of this. Didn't Brendol give power of attorney to his actual attorney anyway?

"I'll cut to the chase, Mr. Hux," the doctor had a tone of utter admonishment. If only he knew. "Your father has responded surprisingly well to treatment in the last few days. We're tentatively setting a date for transfer out of the ICU."

He was in an isolated section within the unit. Something to do with infectious disease. Hux listened to little, understood even less. He thought that he was finally done, finally out from under the heavy mantle of being Brendol Hux's bastard son. Thin as a slip of paper and just as useless.

He twitched, a short convulsion that seized his whole body, and stumbled off the curb. "Excuse me?"

The doctor was pleased with themself, their work, that much was evident in the tone that they continued in, delight and rebuke mixed together. Someone honked their horn and Hux flipped them off blindly and turned back to the mailbox, stepping onto the sidewalk again. Somewhere in the periphery of things, he was aware that Ben had come outside and was standing on the porch. Hux thought Ben might have called his name. He wasn't sure. The doctor was going on about blood pressure and neural response.

"I don't want to be so brash as to say I absolutely expect a turn around, that would be irresponsible. But we are making progress."

Hux wasn't sure what he said in response. It had been so close. He knew how awful it looked from the outside, to be glad--relieved--to know that one's father was so close to the end of their life. He looked down at the phone in his hand, the doctor had hung up, finished with the conversation. Hux felt frozen. The mail fell from one hand, the phone from the other. Envelopes fluttered around his feet, sharp edges striking his shins. The phone hit the pavement and bounced.

"Armitage!" Ben's voice cut through everything.

Hux turned away, waving him off.

He needed to move, to think. He needed air. Where had all the air gone? Without a thought, he stepped out into the street, his mind only on forward movement. A car horn blared. All of the breath left Hux's chest, Ben smacking into him from behind like a brick wall. They careened around in a circle, Ben steering them out of the street and back toward the front lawn. They trampled the thick bed of marigolds at the very front of the property. Hux shouted, his rage muffled by the manicured lawn, Ben's body covering him like some villain's idea of a thunder blanket.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are so so very appreciated, more than you understand.
> 
>  
> 
> [Find me on tumblr @avaahren](http://avaahren.tumblr.com/post/178270200619/about-face-aryagreenleaf)


End file.
